This article is reproduced from the American Bonsai
Society Journal; Volume 44; No. 1 (Winter 2010)
under author reproduction rights. Note that this is a
more complete version. The magazine published article
contained only seven photos. Additional photos and text
comments are added to this Fuku-Bonsai website article to provide additional
insights. ~~~DWF

REFINING MATURE DWARF

SCHEFFLERA BONSAI

By David W. Fukumoto (Kurtistown,
Hawaii)

From
left, Ron Davis of Montana and Phil Bill from California as
they begin work on
this Dwarf Schefflera bonsai.

Training and refining tropical bonsai can be reduced to a set of
principles. Each tree should celebrate the unique horticultural
traits common to the specie. Dwarf Schefflera, Schefflera
arboricola, has extraordinary banyan traits so the challenge is to
feature aerial roots! The top photo shows the tree after
several years of rampant growth in a very shady location next to
thick shrubs. That very high humidity situation produced an
abundance of very desirable aerial roots that fell dramatically from
branches.

The class was scheduled for
planned visits by Phil Bill of California and Ron Davis of Montana.
Both had visited several times previously and had taken various
workshop classes. First remove all leaves and locate and mark the
overall apical point. Second, locate and mark the ends of the lower
branches. With thin sticks, connect the points, then prune off
all growth above the points. A lot takes place before Ron snips off
the apical growth to complete the transformation a few days later!
This article gives an insight into refinement principles that upgrade
good quality bonsai into masterpiece bonsai!

CONTROLLED RAMPANT GROWTH

Rampant growth is a valuable development strategy and technique.
Skilled bonsai trainers can immediately sense the growth rate of any
bonsai and can control the growth rate to achieve objectives.
Some hobbyists are so focused on reducing leaf size that their
plants become stunted and trunks and branches stop developing. What
good are small leaves on thin, spindly trunks? Others want optimum
healthy growth and wonder why they cannot create fine detailed twig
ramification. The ability to control grow is essential.

A period of rampant growth is needed to rejuvenate bonsai that have
been stunted by being pot-bound, due to excessive leaf or twig
pruning, or after a prolonged period of being insufficiently
fertilized. Repotting or planting in the ground will rejuvenate the
tree, produce more vigorous growth, and help thicken trunks and
branches.

The Chinese often begin training by collecting a tree from the wild,
reducing it to a compact root system with just a few inches of trunk
and allowing it to sprout all over. While in the ground, new apical
growth is selected and allowed to grow vigorously until the base of
the new growth is half the size of the reduction cut. It is
then reduced, branches selected and shortened, and allowed another
period of rampant growth. After several months or years, the
plant is dug up, potted, and the best trunk and branch framework is
selected. This development strategy would be less effective with
slower growth in the pots.

In
the case of this Dwarf Schefflera, rampant growth was desirable to
thicken existing roots and to develop new fee-falling aerial roots
dropping from branches far from the main trunk. This was a
greater challenge as the branches of the rock planting were extra
high and creating free falling aerial roots was significantly more
difficult. To achieve the desired results, a shady, high humidity
location was selected in which light would only reach the plant from
one side. Over five or six years, aerial roots developed in the
shadiest areas. They were carefully guided down until they contacted
the ground, got established, and naturally pulled taut.

(Fuku-Bonsai's senior plant manager assisted in repotting. The
tall rock weighs over 70 pounds. It was mounted onto a
concrete base that holds it upright in the pot. In the many
years since the plant was repotted, a lot of roots have gone under
the concrete base. In the photo below, Ron and Phil complete
the root pruning, then repotting. After the start of cleaning
up the root patterns by pruning, the workshop for the day ended.)

(Handling aerial roots is
initially difficult as in the beginning, many want to preserve
and save every root! But, if you're able to develop a lot of aeral
roots and preserve everyone, you'll end up with a lot of small
roots that cross each other giving a very messy appearance. So
I try for fewer roots that are allowed to stay exposed and grow
heavier and in a more orderly manner. Note in the photo taken
after repotting was completed that aluminum foil columns filled with
media allowed the aerial roots to reach the ground.)

"RAINFOREST BANYAN" styling is the most difficult of all banyan
bonsai styles! Aerial roots drop from branches straight
down to the ground and far from the trunk. This will only
happen in humid rain forests as the roots will shrivel and never
reach the ground in dry areas. In this very rare bonsai,
aerial roots drop from almost the apical growth and the longest
aerial root is 33" long! The total height of the tree from
the pot rim is 40"!

RAINFOREST BANYAN ROCK PLANTING

REFINEMENT PRINCIPLES

•
Use wire to spread or to pull roots together so each is as vertical
as possible.

•
Aim for "visual simplicity." Rampant growth produces a large
amount of branch and foliage growth that can be removed and a
proportionately large amount of roots can also be safely removed.
I generally favor retaining older, thicker roots and removing most of
the younger thinner roots. Remove crossing roots and those that
cross over the surface of the rocks to allow the rocks to be seen.

While the
principles are simple, the work is time consuming and detailed.
Refinement includes repotting and placing the tree into an
environment with more even light.

Ron was involved in the entire two-day
workshop and was able to be exposed to concepts and practices still
being developed at Fuku-Bonsai. With a different bonsai
background, he saw things from a different perspective and we
learned, too! We leave the main central apical growth on until the very end so we
are aware of the high point of the crown while working on the tree.
So our guest Ron Davis had the honor of snipping off the last apical
growth to end the workshop!

Within a few months, the bonsai has leafed out. This tree is
displayed mounted on a turn-table so visitors can appreciate it form
all sides. The rock planting was made in 1975 when two
multiple trunked trees (that were already 3 years in training) were
rock planted. It is 40" tall overall with the width of the
foliage crown about 55" across. The fiberglass pot is 34" in
diameter and 3 1/2" high.

(NOTE: Dwarf Schefflera (Schefflera arboricola) is endemic
in a range of variations from southeast Asia. Like plants
in the Ficus family, they are lumped together under a common
botanical name but observant bonsai specialists recognize major
variations. There are two distinctive forms. One form tends to have
smaller more disciplined leaves but tends to have less vigorous
growth and fewer aerial roots. The other form has larger
leaves, more robust growth, and more aerial roots.

In Hawaii, certified export nurseries were being discussed in the
late 1960's as a possible new industry for the state. With a
tropical climate, the proposed industry would specialize in tropical
houseplants. Fuku-Bonsai founder David Fukumoto participated
in developing the protocol that formed the Hawaii State Certified
Nurseries. When California approved it, the Fukumotos moved to
the Big Island of Hawaii to form Fuku-Bonsai as Hawaii's first
certified nursery. Hawaii introduced Dwarf Schefflera nationally and in the trade
the plant is known as the "HAWAIIAN UMBRELLA TREE."
The bonsai featured in this article is amongst the oldest known
Dwarf Schefflera bonsai.